Some Lost Time
by WritelkeUmeanit
Summary: Emma is stubborn and sick. She's always taken care of herself. But Snow is just as stubborn. She's a mother, determined to take care of her child.
1. In Sickness

**Some Lost Time  
**

She'd been coughing all morning. Her voice was hoarse from constantly having to do so. With every cough, David winced. It sounded so violent, like every action was ripping her lungs apart, bit-by-bit. There were bags under her eyes. She looked exhausted. She was congested; David could hear it in her voice and in every sniffle. She looked flush, her skin an unhealthy shade of pale, unlike the porcelain finish she normally wore.

"Emma, please," David begged for the thousandth time. "You're sick. Go home, get some rest."

"I'm fine," Emma denied before being sucked into a coughing fit.

David's frown grew as his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He excused himself and answered the call, already knowing who was on the other line before pulling the device from his jeans.

"She won't go, Snow," David reported before his wife could say a word. "… Of course I'll keep trying, but you know Emma. She's just as stubborn as you are… I'll let you know… I love you too."

David sighed while hanging up the phone. He walked back into the sheriff's office to see Emma standing from her chair. She walked a few steps before stopping, her knees buckling a bit. As Emma grabbed onto the file cabinet for support, David went running into the room.

"You're going home," David said firmly.

Emma didn't have the strength to argue.

XOX

With Regina lurking about, Snow had been tutoring Henry at home. She gave up her teaching job at the school. With everything going on, she couldn't focus on the task. Her head wasn't all there. So she wished her students farewell and put all her energy into her family.

Henry was completing a lesson while Snow was preparing lunch. She was making grilled cheese sandwiches when the apartment door opened.

"This really wasn't necessary," Emma grumbled in complaint as David let her through the room.

Snow came rushing from the kitchen as Henry stood from his chair.

"Mom?" the young boy question in worry.

"I'm fine. David's making something out of nothing."

"She almost collapsed."

With a stern face, Snow pointed to the second floor. "Upstairs, in bed, now."

Everyone was taken back by the strict tone of Snow's voice.

"I'm not a five year old," Emma argued weakly.

With her brows knit in concentration, Snow took a few steps forward so she could put the back of her hand to Emma's forehead. After feeling how hot her skin was, she looked to Henry and said, "please take your mother upstairs. She needs to lie down."

"Come on," Henry said while taking his mother's hand.

Emma narrowed her eyes at Snow. Playing the Henry card… that wasn't fair. She couldn't say no to that face.

"I'll be right up. Henry, make sure she gets into bed."

With a dutiful nod, Henry all but dragged Emma up the stairs and to her bedroom. When they reached the open doorway, Henry sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling his mom down with him.

"Get under the blanket," Henry instructed while pulling from the covers from underneath the mattress.

With a frown, Emma swung her legs up to the bed. "Aren't I supposed to be doing this to you?" she grumbled in annoyance.

With a grin, Henry said, "I'm not sick. You are."

"That's up for- _achoo_!- debate."

"You're sick," Henry said simply.

"Yes she is," Snow said while coming through the room. "Let's find out how sick. Open," she instructed while holding a thermometer in the air.

After a sigh, Emma opened her mouth enough for Snow to put the thermometer underneath her tongue.

"I told you this morning to stay home," Snow said in disappointment

"I'm fine," Emma grumbled.

Snow looked to Henry and said, "Next time we don't give her a choice."

The boy nodded in agreement.

Emma rolled her eyes.

With her attention still on her grandson, Snow said, "do you mind running downstairs for the advil? There's a bottle in the bathroom cabinet.

"Does she have a fever?"

"I'm sure of it," Snow started while turning to Emma, "but let's see. Open."

Before Snow could, Emma pulled the thermometer from her mouth. She gave a fleeting glance to the device and said, "98.6. Perfect hea- _achoo! Achoo!" _

"As you were saying."

Emma frowned at her mother.

Snow took the thermometer and read the number. "99.8. Not too high, but still a fever."

"I'll get the medicine," Henry said while jumping from the bed.

"Ask David to brew some tea!" Snow called after him.

"You're all overreacting."

"Maybe so, but that's my right as your mother."

Emma sighed put her hands to the mattress, using the leverage to sit up.

"No, no, wrong way," Snow said while motioning for her to lie down.

"It's just a cold. I've had a cold before. I'm fine. Really."

"Getting dizzy and nearly falling to the ground isn't part of having a cold."

"I lost my balance. For a second. David overre-"

"acted. Yes, I know. He's your father. He's allowed to do that," Snow said while standing from the bed and walking over to Emma's dresser.

Emma watched as Snow opened the second drawer and pulled out a pair of sweat pants and an oversized T- shirt.

"You're not gonna change me, are you?"

"I think you can do that yourself," Snow said while putting the clothes on the bed.

"Am I allowed to walk to the bathroom?"

"Under supervision, yes," Snow said through a grin.

Emma planted her feet on the floor. "I still have a lot to do for Archie's funeral tomorrow. And I'm sure the station is getting a million calls. People are still trying to find each other. Everything is a mess. I'm backed up on paperwork, but… we'll, I guess that doesn't matter anymore with the curse broken and all," she finished through a thoughtful frown.

"We'll take care of everything, don't worry," Snow said while pulling Emma towards the bathroom.

"I don't why I'm letting you do this," Emma mumbled.

"Because you're exhausted. Have you not seen the bags under your eyes?"

Emma narrowed her eyes at her mother before closing the bathroom door.

Snow smiled.

XOX

The flu medicine Snow forced down Emma's throat took its effect quickly. Emma was already pretty tired, having been up most of the night sneezing and coughing. Within fifteen minutes of taking the medicine, she was out cold.

Snow was climbing the stairs to the loft with a tray of soup, crackers, tea, a box of tissues and vapor rub.

"Hope your hung-" After crossing the open doorway, Snow stopped when she saw that Emma had fallen asleep. A soft smile took her face as she set the tray down and walked to the edge of the bed. She pulled the blanket from Emma's feet to her chest. Her smile spread further at how peaceful her daughter's sleeping form looked. No troubles, no worries, no bad things happening… she was okay. Everything was okay, if even for a moment.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," Snow wished, her tone murmured. She put a kiss to Emma's forehead, then quietly left the room.

XOX

Emma was forced awake in a fit of harsh coughing. She struggled to sit up while putting her hand to her chest, trying to rub away the burn that every cough brought. The motion didn't help ease the pain, but after a moment the coughing subsided…. To be followed by a round of sneezing.

Another minute and Emma took a breath. She rubbed the leftover slumber from her eyes and looked to the clock. Just after noon. She'd been out for almost two hours. Last night, she barely got an hour of consecutive sleep.

Emma grabbed a hair tie from her nightstand and threw her locks up in a ponytail. She went to the bathroom to wash her face. As she was spreading soap around her skin, her tummy growled. Emma frowned. She hadn't eaten anything all morning. After cleaning up, Emma made her way downstairs.

Snow was seated at the table, playing a game of go fish with Henry as Emma tried to sneak her way through the room. But Henry gave her away.

"Hey, you're supposed to be in bed."

Snow turned in her seat to find Emma frozen in place, a wince on her face. "What are you doing down here?" she demanded.

"It's like prison without the bars," Emma grumbled.

While standing from her chair, Snow said, "I hope you don't think you're going back to work because if you do you're crazy, you're not going any-"

"Food," Emma interrupted while going to the fridge. "All I want is some food."

"Oh, yes, of course! You must be hungry! Sit down, relax. I'll fix you something."

"But I can-"

"Sit. And wrap a blanket around your body. It will keep you warm."

Emma looked to Henry. With a smile, the boy shrugged. She looked back to her mother who was running around the kitchen gathering ingredients to make a cold cut sandwich. Emma didn't have the strength or energy to fight it, so she wondered into the living room and curled up on the couch.

As Emma got comfortable, Henry ran to the across the room, swiping the remote from the coffee table before crashing on the couch. He flipped the TV on and turned up the volume when he found cartoons.

"Maybe you should stay home tomorrow too," Henry suggested.

"I guess the sick police won't give me much of a choice."

"She just wants you to feel better."

"I know," Emma murmured. "But… it's just a cold," she argued weakly.

"She never got to take care of you when you were sick. She's just doing what she never got to," Henry reasoned simply, his eyes on the tv.

Emma took in the boy's words. He may only be eleven, but he was wise beyond his years. She looked to her mother who was preparing a bologna and cheese sandwich. That was Emma's favorite. Her lips curved to a smile.

"Okay," Snow sang while walking around the counter with Emma's lunch. She went to the living room and set the plate down on the coffee table.

"Thank you," Emma said through a smile.

Snow returned the sentiment. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Emma said while taking her sandwich.

Snow narrowed her eyes.

"No, really… thank you… you know, for holding me here against my will."

Snow matched Emma's grin. "Anytime."

_The End_

**Thoughts before you go? **

**P.S, A new chapter for 'Road to Happiness' is in the works. I'll have it up by the weekend. Sorry for the long wait, but now that we know Neal is Bae, it's full steam ahead! **

**Also, if anyone has any Emma/Snow, Emma/Henry, Emma/David for the Charming family as a whole, fic prompts, feel free to send 'em my way! **


	2. Somebody Who Cares

Hey guys! Good news; thanks to popular demand, I've turned this baby into a three-shot! Enjoy!

**Some Lost Time **

**Chapter Two: **

Emma was bundled up on the couch, watching a movie with Henry when David came home.

"Hey, gramps."

"Hey, pal," David returned while taking his jacket off and putting it on the hook.

Mary Margaret was in the kitchen preparing dinner when she noticed a stack of folders in his hands. "What's all that?"

"What?" David called while hurrying to Emma. He gave her the folders then quickly ran to the bathroom while shouting that he was taking a shower.

Mary Margaret narrowed her eyes at Emma. "You asked him to bring work home, didn't you?"

"What? No. Why would I do that?" Emma said while putting the folders on the coffee table in front of her. "Can you toss me a pen?"

"Why?"

"So I can… write - _achoo! Achoo! Achoo!- _some… stuff."

"What stuff?" Mary Margaret asked suspiciously.

Emma looked to Henry for help. The boy shrugged before turning back to the T.V. Emma sighed.

"Henry, would you mind bringing those folders to my bedroom."

"Sure," he said while standing.

"Hey, no, come back here with those!"

Henry stopped and said, "but grams said to bring them inside."

"Well I birthed you and I say bring 'em back."

Henry was torn. He looked between Mary Margaret and Emma, trying to decide what to do.

"Henry, your mom doesn't feel well. She shouldn't be doing work. She needs to rest. Please bring them inside."

After a moment of thought, Henry looked to Emma and said, "she's right," before continuing on his path.

Emma groaned in annoyance. "Seriously? But you're my kid. You're supposed to be on my side!"

"He's knows what's best for you," Mary Margaret said while walking around the counter with a tray of soup.

Emma sighed. She closed her eyes as she let her head fall to the cushion. Then she broke out in a fit of violent coughs. Mary Margaret frowned.

"I don't like the sound of that."

"Try being on the receiving end," Emma grumbled.

"Does your chest hurt?"

"I'm fine."

"Emma."

"Really, I'm fine."

"That wasn't my question."

Emma rolled her head to find Mary Margaret's eyes. "Only when I cough."

"Do your glands feel swollen?"

"How would I know?"

With her brows furrowed in concentration, Mary Margaret put her fingers to Emma's neck. It took her a few seconds to say, "they're swollen. Your throat hurts, doesn't it?"

"Maybe a little."

"You should have said something earlier, Emma. I would have had David pick up the right medicine."

"I don't need medicine."

"You are so stubborn."

"Wonder where she gets it from."

Mary Margaret looked up at the voice to find David coming from the bathroom while towel drying his hair.

"I know you just got home, but do you mind running to the store?"

"Sure. What do you need?"

"Nothing. We don't need anything."

Ignoring Emma, Mary Margaret said, "some cough drops. They'll ease the irritation in her throat. And liquid flu medicine. It will work faster than pills. Something for the day and something to help her sleep. Oh, and a bottle of vapor rub."

David nodded. "How are we doing on soup?"

"We still have plenty."

"Okay. I'll pick up some ice cream."

"Thank you," Mary Margaret said with a smile.

David bent to kiss his wife's forehead, and with a quiet voice, say, "anything for my girls." The words made Mary Margaret's smile grow.

"I feel like an invalid," Emma complained.

"I'm only doing what a mother should," Mary Margaret said while getting to her feet and ducking into the bathroom for the thermometer. She quickly came back to Emma who didn't bother fighting it.

"Where's grandpa?" Henry asked while emerging from the second floor.

"On his way to the store. He just left if you want to catch him."

Henry nodded excitedly at the thought of an outing, even something as simple as the store. With everything going on, he wasn't allowed to leave without a member of his family.

Emma watched with a frown as Henry grabbed his jacket and ran out the door. With a grumbled voice because of the thermometer, Emma said, "why does he get to leave?"

"Because he isn't sick. Keep your mouth closed for a minute, or it won't get an accurate reading."

Emma put her arms over her stomach and fell further into the couch. Mary Margaret couldn't' help an amused smile at the look of petulance Emma wore.

After pouring some hot tea into a mug, Mary Margaret put the cup next to the soup and took the thermometer.

"Oh, Emma," Mary Margaret sighed in disappointment. "100.1… I think it's safe to say you don't just have a cold. I think you're coming down with the flu."

Emma frowned.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you get better," Mary Margaret said while hurrying back to the kitchen. "Would you like some crackers with your soup? Do you have socks on? You really should be wearing socks. Do you need another box of tissues? I'll just grab another one incase you run out."

Emma couldn't help a small smile as Mary Margaret rushed from the kitchen to the bathroom. Though she wanted to get work done, she kind of liked what Mary Margaret was doing. Was her mother overreacting? Emma thought so. But no one had done this for her before. It was nice to finally have someone make a fuss over her. To have someone care.

XOX

The boys were at the table eating dinner while Mary Margaret was on the couch next to Emma. A plate of chicken and vegetables sat on the coffee table, next to a bowl of soup, both untouched. Emma wasn't hungry. A wave of nausea had recent hit her. She hadn't had the flu since she was a little girl. She didn't like it then and she didn't like it now.

Emma groaned while putting her feet on the couch and her forehead to her legs. Mary Margaret shared a frown with David as she put her hand to Emma's back and rubbed circles.

Henry looked to his mom. He was about to stand up to sit next to her when she bolted up and ran to the bathroom.

"That's the third time in the last hour," Mary Margaret said while getting got her feet to move the plates.

David stood up to take his wife's plate and put it on the table. "Why don't you sit down and eat; let me take care of Emma."

"No, it's alright. I'm not hungry. I'm worried about her."

"I know you are," David said while taking her hands and swaying his thumbs over her wrists. "She has a bug. It happens to the best of us."

"Is she going to be okay?" Henry asked. He'd never seen her this way.

David looked to his grandson and with a reassuring smile said she would be just fine.

Before Henry could argue, Emma came back from the bathroom.

"I'll be upstairs," she said while going across the room. "Try and crash for a while," she murmured.

"I'll go up with you."

"No, Henry, stay here. I don't want you to catch what I have," Emma said while taking the stairs.

With a frown, Henry fell back into his seat.

"I'm gonna go up with her," Mary Margaret said.

David wanted to argue, but thought better of it. He knew he wouldn't' change her mind, and he thought he could take Henry out, keep him busy for a while.

"What do you say we have an impromptu lesson? We can get ice cream after. Loser pays," David said with a grin.

Henry nodded. He stood and went to put his jacket on and then looked to Mary Margaret and said, "she'll be okay, right?"

"Yes," Mary Margaret said with a soft smile. "Don't worry. Go have fun."

Henry went up to Mary Margaret and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. He tipped his chin up and said, "thanks for taking care of my mom."

With a big smile, Mary Margaret said, "Anytime."

TBC

**Thoughts before you go? Please and thank you! **


	3. What Bravery Earns

**Some Lost Time**

**Chapter Three: What Bravery Earns**

Emma fell into bed and curled up underneath the blanket. She was trying to get comfortable, and grew frustrated after a moment when she couldn't breathe. Emma pushed the blanket from her head and let it rest at her belly. Then she closed her eyes, when she felt the bed shifting. She looked over her shoulder, ready to tell Henry to go downstairs when she found it to be Mary Margaret.

"I don't want to get you sick," Emma said while turning back over.

"Don't worry about me."

"But-"

"Emma, please… just let me do this. Let me take care of you."

Emma didn't have the strength to fight. Her throat hurt with every swallow, her chest burning with every cough, nausea coming and going, her body trying to run on a lack of sleep… she just didn't have the energy. So she nodded faintly, her eyes still closed.

With a frown, Mary Margaret asked, "can I get you anything?"

"A comfier bed," Emma grumbled while turning to her other side.

"I guess the mattress is pretty old," Mary Margaret murmured in disappointment. "We'll get you another one."

A few minutes went by. Mary Margaret watched as Emma tried to rest. Just when she thought she was falling asleep, Emma sat up and darted to the bathroom. Mary Margaret winced. How to make it stop? She wasn't sure there was a way. Emma would have to ride it out. The flu medicine David brought back, it didn't cure nausea.

Mary Margaret remembered something back home that would help ease her sickness during her pregnancy. A combination of a few different herbs when crushed together and mixed in food would greatly dull the nausea. Every morning, David would go out and gather the herbs, then deliver them to the cook so he could mix them in food. Mary Margaret doubted she could find such herbs here, in this world.

Emma returned from the bathroom, snapping Mary Margaret from her thoughts. Emma held a frown, her hand on her stomach as she walked to the bed and sat up against the headboard.

Mary Margaret thought of something. She couldn't give Emma the remedy she used while pregnant, but Emma had Henry. It was many years ago, but Emma was once pregnant too.

Emma was unwrapping a cough drop when Mary Margaret said, "what did you do when you were pregnant?"

Her brows furrowing in confusion, Emma said, "what?"

"You've got medicine to ease your cough and soothe your throat and lower your fever, but I don't know how to stop the nausea. You're getting sick every fifteen minutes."

"I guess there's some crap out there, but I don't know how well it works."

"Nothing helped when you were pregnant with Henry?"

"I was in jail. I didn't have the luxury of nausea relief."

Mary Margaret frowned. "You were in jail?"

Emma looked at her mother in confusion. "You didn't see the headline?"

Mary Margaret was still lost.

"Oh, well, um…. Yeah… because of Henry's father," she murmured before falling to a fit of coughing.

Mary Margaret quickly put her hand to Emma's back. After a minute, Emma settled down and Mary Margaret said, "I've always wondered what happened between you and Henry's father. It was obvious he did something to hurt you. I didn't question it. I didn't want to pry…but to think that you went to jail because of him, that he hurt you that badly that you didn't want Henry to know the truth… its very easy to have hateful feelings towards him, Emma."

Wearing a frown, Emma let her eyes fall to her lap.

"Honey, what happened?" Mary Margaret asked softly.

Emma sighed. She closed her eyes, and thought of Neal…he screwed her over. He was a coward… Emma didn't see it coming.

"I um… let myself fall in love… won't happen again."

A deep frown took Mary Margaret's face.

"We were broke and homeless and did what we needed to get by. Neal stole some watches. There were wanted signs everywhere. We had a plan to sell the watches and use the money to start over… but he turned me in and bolted… I didn't know it then, but August found him, told him to leave me."

"Oh, Emma."

"He was coward. If he loved me like he said he did, he would have taken me here himself. But he was too afraid of seeing his goddamn father… I wasn't important enough."

"No, Emma, no, you are important enough."

Emma took a hasty breath to stop the tears that were brewing in her eyes. She cried over Neal before, many years ago; she wouldn't do it again.

"I'm screwed up," Emma murmured.

"Emma, you're perfect," Mary Margaret argued firmly.

The blond shook her head at the words. "Let's just talk about something else, okay? I don't do this. I don't do the pity party thing.

"Emma, look at me," Mary Margaret said softly. She waited for Emma to meet her eyes then she cupped her daughter's face in her hands. "You, Emma Swan, are strong. You're intelligent. You're brave. You're beautiful… and very stubborn. You look like your father, but the stubbornness, that you get from me."

With a small smile, Mary Margaret said, "chin."

"Yes," Mary Margaret agreed with a big smile. "You've got my chin. And my eyes. Your fathers are brighter."

Emma went to smile, but was interrupted but a round of coughing. Then she ran to the bathroom. Mary Margaret took the few minutes to run downstairs and bring up a tray of medicine, tissues, cough drops, and some movies. She was putting a tape in the VHS as Emma was crawling back into bed. Mary Margaret joined her and they sat side by side against the headboard.

"Good movie," Emma murmured as it started.

Mary Margaret smiled.

XOX

Almost fifteen minutes by when Mary Margaret noticed Emma was dozing. She convinced herself to be brave, like she once was all those years ago, like Emma is, and she put her arm around her daughter. Emma fell into Mary Margaret's side, her head to her mother's shoulder.

"If you get sick-"

"I won't."

Emma didn't argue any further. She was too tired.

Mary Margaret eased them to the bed, so Emma could lie down. When they reached the mattress, Emma didn't move away. She curled to Mary Margaret's side, her head on her mother's arm.

Mary Margaret smiled. This wouldn't happen on normal occasions. But Emma was sick, doped on cold meds, and so tired to the point of near exhaustion. Her walls were down… she was letting Mary Margaret be her mom.

"I love you," Mary Margaret murmured.

"Love you," Emma returned, just barely loud enough to hear.

That caught Mary Margaret by surprise. Her lips spread to the biggest smile as she put a kiss to Emma's forehead.

Mary Margaret waited 28 years to say those words again; Emma had been waiting all her life to hear them.

"Goodnight, little girl."

This time Emma didn't answer. She had fallen asleep. Mary Margaret was glad. She held her daughter and soon she too fell into dreamland.

_The End_

**What does everyone think? I'd love to hear your thoughts before you go! Enjoy! Have a great weekend!**


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